


Voiceless

by Swump (Zelan)



Category: The Selection Series - Kiera Cass
Genre: F/M, Pre-Series, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-10
Updated: 2017-10-10
Packaged: 2019-01-15 11:08:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12319812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zelan/pseuds/Swump
Summary: America doesn't show up to meet Aspen one night. He goes looking for her.





	Voiceless

**Author's Note:**

> i literally don't like this series and i like the pairing even less
> 
> why did i write this, you ask?

Aspen had been waiting in America’s tree house for an hour now. She should have been here ages ago. Panic seized him - had her parents found out about them?

No, that couldn’t be it. They would have told his mother, and she would have asked him about it by now.

Frowning, he debated whether it would be worth it to go to her window. That had been where they rendezvoused before they decided on the tree house instead. It was a risk, though; someone might show up at America’s door at any time and hear them. But finally, his concern won over and Aspen slid stealthily down to the ground, creeping toward the house on cat feet.

It was easy enough to climb up to her window. Although Aspen was out of practice, he’d done it many times before. He peered cautiously through the window and caught sight of America stretched out on her bed. Maybe she was asleep; Aspen knew that she had been taking on more work recently, especially late-night work.

In that case, it might be better not to disturb her. But Aspen couldn’t stand being so close without being able to touch her or talk to her. He had to wake her.

Aspen rapped on the window. To his delight, America stirred and sat up almost immediately. She swiped a hand across her eyes, blinking at him in the darkness, and his heart soared just to have that glimpse of her beautiful face. 

That feeling plummeted when he saw the way that she swayed slightly, trailing her fingers along the wall, as she made her way over to him. The concern deepened when she leaned down to open the window and he saw the pink flush across her cheeks.

No sooner was the window open then Aspen had slid through it to wrap America in his embrace. She leaned into him, draping her arms around his neck and laying her head on his shoulder. Aspen noted with alarm the heat of her body pressed against his.

“Oh, Mer,” he whispered, pulling her in as closely as he could. “How long have you been like this?” She didn’t answer him. “Mer?” Was she too feverish to understand the question?

She pulled back a bit, and with one hand gestured vaguely at her throat. Aspen’s brow furrowed in concern and he immediately leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Mer, I’m so sorry.” For America, a singer, a sore throat was devastating. The longer it took for her to recover, the more money she and her family would lose out on. And Aspen knew what it was like to go hungry. 

Belatedly, he realized that he should stay away from America; if he or anyone else in his family caught what she had, they would struggle even more than they already were. But he couldn’t bring himself to prise America off of him, not when she was so clearly miserable.

Instead, Aspen guided her gently back to bed, dipping her down onto the soft surface. Once she was situated, he pulled the blanket up to her chin, making sure that she was completely covered by the thin cloth. “Get well soon, okay?” he murmured, laying a hand on her hot forehead. America cracked an eye open and smiled teasingly at him, coaxing a grin out of Aspen in return. Even as sick as she was, she was still the same fiery girl that he knew and loved.

He would have stayed by her side all night if he could have, but the possibility of America’s parents walking in on him eventually drove him out. Still, he looked one last, lingering time behind him at America’s sleeping form before closing the window behind him and setting off for his own bed.

**Author's Note:**

> Because I've literally STUDIED the series to write a paper and I have a lot of opinions on how it should/could have gone. Have a sickfic.


End file.
